Backstory

May 4th of 2012 Anna and Alex descended the South Fork of No Man's Canyon. They reached the canyon exit at dusk, and in the dimming light they got lost. They hiked back and forth trying to find a path through the slick-rock, ran out of water, set up 3 unnecessary rappels in the dark, and finally made it back to their car at 3:00 in the morning.

Five and a half years later they returned to profess their love.

On Thursday night Anna and Alex rendezvoused with their seven friends Mike, Sabina, Chas, Emma, Ryan, Amanda, and Cara in the Utah desert. Friday morning we packed ropes, harnesses, rings, and beers. Then put on our dresses and suits, and set out across the flats.

It was roughly a mile from our campsite to the head of no man's canyon. Anna led the way GPS in one hand (PBR in the other). We hiked cross country, dodging cactus and crypto, occasionally hiking along an old surveyors track until we found the drainage that would become our canyon.

We hiked down-drainage; the wash deepening and narrowing. In some places the canyon floor was wide enough to walk through, in others we were forced to shimmy sideways, or stem over the narrowest parts. We encountered a rattlesnake, and since we had no room to go around it, we had to climb over it.

As we trekked further down, the canyon became steeper and deeper. There was more down-climbing than hiking at this point. We set up two rappels. In true canyon fashion we used only natural anchors, no bolts, no pitons, just webbing looped around rocks buried in the sand.

The final rappel in No Man's Canyon is almost 90 feet tall. We rigged an anchor off of a large boulder, and tossed our ropes over the edge. The wedding party descended first, leaving Anna and Alex alone at the top. It was here, in private, that they said their vows. Then they abseiled down, to much fanfare, and exchanged rings. 

When they told their friends it was a long hike out, Anna and Alex may have undersold the 9 mile slog. We hiked down the South Fork of No Man's to where it joined up with the North Fork, then ascended the North Fork until we reached a point where there was a break in the canyon walls and we were able to escape, back on to the flats, and back to our cars.